Presenters: Maureen Mohan, Guidance Counselor, York High School Brian Trainor, Ph.D., Educational...
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Collecting Effective Data in Counseling Presenters: Maureen Mohan, Guidance Counselor, York High School Brian Trainor, Ph.D., Educational Research Methodology, Loyola University-Chicago Moderator: Lauren O’Connor, Guidance Counselor, Westmont High School
Presenters: Maureen Mohan, Guidance Counselor, York High School Brian Trainor, Ph.D., Educational Research Methodology, Loyola University-Chicago Moderator:
Presenters: Maureen Mohan, Guidance Counselor, York High School
Brian Trainor, Ph.D., Educational Research Methodology, Loyola
University-Chicago Moderator: Lauren OConnor, Guidance Counselor,
Westmont High School
Slide 2
Questions to be Discussed How do we make sense of
qualitative/anecdotal data? How can we collect more reliable data?
How can data help us improve our counseling programs and the
services we provide to students?
Slide 3
The Qualitative Data Dilemma As counselors, much of the data we
collect is qualitative, anecdotal, or based on non-experimental
observation Qualitative data and anecdotal information is not tidy
How do we present qualitative data as evidence?
Slide 4
Commonly Collected Qualitative Data Needs assessments (free
response questions) Example: What do you need the most help with in
school? Informational interviews Students expressing thoughts and
feelings Observations of body language or other non-verbal cues
Group behaviors Genograms (student or counselor-created)
Observations from classroom teachers of student academics and
behavior
Slide 5
Using Qualitative Data Codinga method of drawing meaning from
qualitative data by recognizing patterns and common themes (i.e.
establishing codes) Counselors do this naturally These patterns and
themes may be within a particular student or among a population
Examples?
Slide 6
Using Qualitative Data Timmy said his parents are getting
divorced; in a meeting his teachers mention he is struggling to
focus in class and you connect his performance to his family strife
in your mind. You notice many students exhibiting exhaustion or
lack of focus. The previous week one of your students mentioned
ordering the new Call of Duty. You surmise some of these students
struggles may be due to little sleep and lots of gaming.
Congratulations, you just coded!
Slide 7
Using Qualitative Data Administrators and school districts
emphasize the need for more data collection and using that data to
drive our decisions It is important to remember this coded
information IS real data Qualitative data can be perceived as fluff
or dismissed as subjective, but careful presentation of these data
can help counselors design and implement interventions
Slide 8
Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data A simple event sign up can
provide useful data and not just fluff. Using a source of
technology rather than paper pencil can reflect interesting data
later on and determine future needs/trends of the event or program.
Sign up Genius is an online tool that can help with organization of
qualitative information from a program sign up i.e. group
interviews, one-on-one student meetings, parent presentation, etc.
http://www.signupgenius.com/ Sign up Genius can easily organize and
group people who are signing up. Create online and e-mail out link
to necessary group. Could get more complex with creation of sign
up, in order to track a trend amongst a certain group. Can be
easily manipulated Can quickly provide info. on students who do not
sign up at all, the students who sign up but are absent and the
students who show up. Provides useful data for a counseling office
that never would have existed before in a quantifiable, electronic
format.
Slide 9
Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data Example: York Freshman
Mentor Program Interview Sign up www.signupgenius.com
Slide 10
Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data Sign Up Genius York
Freshman Mentor Interviews
Slide 11
Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data NVivo software for Windows
Platform for analyzing unstructured data Uses powerful search tools
to extract information from coded data Unique visualization tools
to summarize coded data Sharing/disseminating options Used by
professional researchers, evaluators, professors, educators, etc.
Analyzes content from interviews, groups, discussions, surveys,
audio files, video files, websites, etc. Interfaces well with many
other programs
Slide 12
Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data What if your school doesnt
have the time or money to invest in NVivo? Encourage a culture
shift in your department Counselors should perceive and describe
information gleaned from interviews, conversations, or
non-experimental observations as real data Employ methodological
vocabulary to describe action steps and interventions Narrative
analysis Coding Ethical inquiry
Slide 13
Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data Whenever possible, apply a
mixed methods approach Mixed methods approaches provide thick rich
descriptions of qualitative data supported by numbers and
quantitative data Improves presentation of qualitative data by
including empirical information and reducing the perceived
subjectivity Enhances presentation of quantitative data by
providing a context in which to view empirical information and
allowing for a more holistic review
Slide 14
Example of Mixed Method Data Presentation Needs Assessment:
Students Mental and Emotional Health - need discussed often by York
Student Services Department and top priority for our principal.
*Looking closer at this Need stemmed from 2 data points: 1.
Qualitative data shared from all student services staff. Mainly
counselors and social workers, who work often with students
struggling with anxiety & depression. 2. Quantitative Data:
Illinois Youth Survey given to 10 th and 11 th graders in the
spring of 2014.
Slide 15
Illinois Youth Survey quantitative data
Slide 16
Now what to do with the data? Use Google forms to create a
survey and tap into thoughts of the department on this topic. Some
sample questions:
Slide 17
Google forms makes survey responses easy to view!
Slide 18
Google Forms: provide qualitative and quantitative date from
survey
Slide 19
Survey Monkey Another good tool to help analyze and present
quantitative survey data Compiles responses for you Creates tables
and presentation materials for you Easy to use Semi-free Microsoft
Excel
Slide 20
Commonly Collected Quantitative Data Graduation rates Survey
data (Likert-scale or multiple choice questions) Post-secondary
plans Standardized test scores
Slide 21
The Unexpected Dilemma of Quantitative Data While the primary
problem with qualitative data collection is that others may view it
as too subjective, the primary problem with quantitative data is
that others may place too much faith in it. How can we ensure our
quantitative data is both reliable and valid? What are some
examples of quantitative data used in counseling departments? How
are these data used?
Slide 22
Potential Pitfalls of Quantitative Data Non-Response Bias
Occurs in statistical surveys when the answers of non-responders
differ systematically from those of the responders In this case, it
is impossible to know what non-responders to a particular survey or
assessment would have reported If students are asked to complete a
survey and only 40% respond, the data will likely be skewed to the
extreme values Students who want to be nice and help out Students
who have specific negative viewpoints to share Degree of topic
saliency highly correlated with response rate The lower the
response rate, the higher the probability of non-response bias
Slide 23
Potential Pitfalls of Quantitative Data Ways to combat
non-response bias Mandatory surveys Distributed before or after
state-mandated assessments (PSAE, PARCC) Required for
graduation/senior check-out Problems with truthfulness Predict what
non-responders would have answered Follow-up interviews/reminders
Sub-group analysis Demographic comparisons
Slide 24
Mandatory Survey Example: York Senior Check out Survey
Mandatory Participation Available in Naviance
(https://succeed.naviance.com/) prior to senior check-out day, so
students have the choice to take it in
advancehttps://succeed.naviance.com/ Email students through
Naviance & cc parents Set up under Connections tab, survey If a
student does not take on own, required to sit at computer station
during check out to complete Use this system to lessen
gaps/inconsistencies in data
Slide 25
Mandatory Survey Example: York Senior Check out Survey Survey
allows students to provide feedback on how the CCRC (College &
Career Resource Center) was able to meet their needs and the needs
of their family. Students also indicate what their post-high school
plans will entail
Slide 26
York Senior Check out Survey
Slide 27
York Senior Check Out Survey
Slide 28
Potential Pitfalls of Quantitative Data Reliability/Validity
checks How do we know our surveys or assessments are measuring what
they are supposed to measure and will continue to do so over time?
Counselors may ask students throughout high school (i.e. freshman
year, junior year) How certain are you of your plans for after high
school? Rate on a scale of 1-5 (one being not confident at all).
When we create these questions, they make sense to us. No matter
how ideally we feel the question is written, we can never be sure
how others will interpret the question.
Slide 29
Potential Pitfalls of Quantitative Data There are ways to check
for reliability/validity of survey instruments Factor Analysis IRT
Analysis Can provide a lot of good information about the quality of
the instrument Is it measuring what you think it is? Are people
confused or misinterpreting certain questions?
Slide 30
Summary of Quantitative Data Oftentimes, individuals put a
large amount of value on quantitative data However, quantitative
data is just as subjective as qualitative data IF NOT MORE SO The
keys to balancing our data collection, usage, and dissemination in
counseling departments include: Applying mixed methods approaches
Whenever possible, controlling for external factors or potential
pitfalls Understanding that the use of data to drive decisions will
always be in some ways a guessing game
Slide 31
Discussion Questions How does your school and/or department use
data? Does your department use any of the resources shared in this
presentation? If so, how do you utilize them with students? What is
one of the biggest challenges your department encounters with data
collection? Have you found a workable solution? Any further
quetions?